IF YOU GO

Storybook Theatre’s original production of “Adventures in Toyland” runs March 26 through April 6 at the Klein JCC Theater, 10100 Jamison Ave. in Northeast Philadelphia. Tickets are $12 for children and $14 for adults. For tickets call (215) 659-8550 or online at www.storybookmusical.org.

Former elementary school teacher Patricia Goldberg has been involved in theater ever since she was a teenager. “That’s when I went to a local Jewish Community Center and joined a teen theater group. I learned a lot about theater there and really enjoyed it,” says Goldberg, co-founder and artistic director of Storybook Musical Theatre, the Abington-based professional Equity children’s theater company.

The theater’s current production, running from March 26 through April 6 at the Klein JCC Theater, 10100 Jamison Ave. in Northeast Philadelphia, is Goldberg’s original play, “Adventures in Toyland.”

With music and lyrics by Jeff Reim, the story centers on how four “special” toys come to life to help a young boy build confidence and make some of his dreams come to life.

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According to Goldberg, the play opens late one night as young Michael awakes from a bad dream and escapes to his playroom so no one will hear him crying. Rag Doll, Captain Combat, Pirate Pete and Princes Ballerina Belle come to life, hear him and decided to help him by encouraging him to use his imagination to travel to new places and discover new things. Throughout the adventures, Michael learns he can be anything he wants to be just by using his imagination and believing in himself.

Goldberg, who taught school for more than 35 years before retiring several years ago, continued being involved in theater in various capacities, meeting her husband, Marc, at the Abby Stage Door Theater. Both eventually moved to the Cheltenham Playhouse to ply their craft, and it was there, Patricia Goldberg says, that she began directing the children’s program and writing her own plays.

In 1992, the couple left Cheltenham Playhouse and, along with three other people, founded Storybook. The idea for this original production is based on Patricia Goldberg’s love of the Toy Story movies. She says, ”Every time I watched the movies I thought why not do a play where the toys come to life, but I needed more than that. So I began looking around and realized that kids use toys for a lot of different things, even pretending they are alive.

“I wanted to write shows that kids could really enjoy as well as their parents,” Goldberg adds. “I realized it was not good theater unless the parents could have a good time along with their kids.”

And along came “Adventures in Toyland.“ Goldberg also directs the show and admits that’s the perfect fit since she wrote the script and knows what’s going on. “But in the show we’re also creating all new characters so I have to help the actors create their characters, to flush them out and reveal a personality that the audience can relate to. I also do the basic blocking for the show, as well as the choreograph and casting,”

Goldberg says casting can often be a major challenge, because, she explains, “A lot of actors who enjoy children’s theater don’t necessarily want to act in children’s theater, even though we are an equity company. So they may start with us but then move on to expand their circle thanks to their equity card.”

Facing all challenges, however, is overcome when Goldberg sees the reaction of her audiences. “A lot of the children may be seeing theater for the first time, and watching them laugh, or scream, or applaud, is the greatest thing for me to see. After all, for parents and kids alike, this is the time to make memories that will last a lifetime.”

IF YOU GO

Storybook Theatre’s original production of “Adventures in Toyland” runs March 26 through April 6 at the Klein JCC Theater, 10100 Jamison Ave. in Northeast Philadelphia. Tickets are $12 for children and $14 for adults. For tickets call (215) 659-8550 or online at www.storybookmusical.org.